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Old 08-14-2019, 12:11 PM   #1
Schwartzie
Adult Hamster
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 385
Default Going German

Something close to my heart and a decision I’ve made...I wanted to share it with Ragna’s extended family.

As you all know, my hamster journey started here and everything I have learnt so far comes from this forum. I am new at owning a hamster but not new at working with animals. I’ve trained and worked with horses as well as dogs and throughout my years of working with different characters and individuals I learnt to trust my gut and meet that animal where they were in their lives. My sole reason for leaving the horse industry was because it broke my heart to see those horses pushed too far, those horse who had forgiven over and over again being disappointed, those horses who were so violent and angry that no amount of love and training would truly heal what damage lay there. People used to phone me saying that they had a problem with their horse...the horse was never the problem. My reason for leaving the horse industry was because there just wasn’t enough space in this world to let loose a damaged sole to allow it to live out its life as a horse where it could do horse things and just be left in peace. Some horses just needed to be left alone and learn how it feels to be a horse again.

I don’t feel that it would be kind or fair to describe what I saw when I bought Ragna...how the hamsters as well as he was handled - it was cruel and unnecessary and would upset sensitive readers.

I’ve decided that Ragna just wants to be a hamster and left alone and he loves to burrow...he loves it so much! Cutting back on his bedding was so beneficial because I could monitor what was going on despite not finding the pee - lol! I see how confining his movements to the nesting box is important for him and I to interact - I see no other way with taming a hamster as shy as him. I was doing some reflecting today. I have been doing a lot of research on the standards and approaches to hamsters that the Germans take.

My hubby is going to assist me to build a base - we are using an IkEA coffee table of 55cmx55cm and turning it upside down and placing 3 in a row to make the length 165cm. We are then going to slot in wood into the gaps so that it goes over the 30cm requirement that Germany set for bedding. We are going with 55cm because those coffee tables are really cheap. My hubby then is going to build a frame for the top and we are placing mesh over as a cage. His base will then be 55cm deep which I will fill with Fitch and is more than enough space for him to burrow and enjoy creating tunnels. The camera will serve as a way for me to see that he is doing ok if he never really strays out. It will be difficult for me to pin point where he is but I will always try and coax him out with placing food in the entrances of his tunnels. Maybe the depth and him being able to burrow more will make him feel more at ease. My gut is telling me that he needs more and needs to be burrowing more.

My main reason for sharing this with everyone is that the German standards are way higher than anywhere else in the world and I want to share what I’m doing without being worried that members will feel that I may judge them for adhering to other countries. I will always mention on top of my threads that whatever I am discussing is on German standards e.g. a new member might stumble upon pictures of my new cage set up and freak because they don’t have the same size etc. I feel personally that the standards set by each country allow hamsters to live in happiness as long as the dimensions are relevant to the species and enough enrichment and good environment etc is provided then there is no problem. I will never discuss my preferences unless asked. I love cage set ups and deciding how to lay it out and want to be involved in inspiring and helping others as they have done for me. I just don’t want anyone to misunderstand what I’m doing here. I’m choosing approaches that suit Ragna’s history, level of trauma and preferences. He just wants to burrow so let’s burrow☺️☺️☺️☺️
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horse, standards, feel, burrow, horses, set, hamster, left, german, cage, don’t, i’ve, problem, i’m, reason, placing, hamsters, space, coffee, world, lay, build, hubby, live, base

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